Describe yourself in three words
Loyal, Trustworthy, Driven.
How have your children inspired your work at Forerunner?
My older daughter Peri has greatly inspired me to continue achieving my dreams as a working mother. I remember one day when I was feeling defeated and overall guilty about not being able to pick her up from school every day (you know — the general working mom regret), and I asked her, "Peri, do you like that I work or would you rather I stayed home with you?"
Her response to me was simply: “I think working makes you smarter.” This little statement made me feel so much better and motivated me to a totally new level. I hope she didn’t say it because she doesn't want me around, but I'm choosing to look at the positive here. :)
What is your favorite aspect of managing talent and brand partnerships?
At Forerunner Ventures, I have a really unique and fun role that allows me to be the caregiver that I naturally am. I foster brand partnerships that allow our portfolio brands to connect with each other and leaders in the industry, including talent, while also curating events and learning sessions. I love when everybody gets something useful out of an event or encounter, and it brings me so much joy when they’re able to create something that is larger than themselves.
Pay it forward and name a few mentors in your field.
I'm most inspired by my team — every single one of them — because when we’re together, or even on the phone, I learn something new. They all have brilliant minds and are able to teach me things, even though I’ve been in the industry for a long time. It’s great to have such a collaborative, trusting, and intelligent group of people to work with, and it makes me excited to go to work.
What are some of your favorite brands to work with?
When I say I really love all of our companies, I truly mean it. We recently had our LP meeting in San Francisco, and all of us were in awe of the brands and founders we work with. The evening reminded us that the community we have at Forerunner goes beyond our office walls. We work with a brand called Hers, a women's care brand, that currently addresses sexual wellness, skin care and hair loss treatments in a judgment-free way. The company has a ton of passion for its mission, but I also immediately clicked with the founders. These are the moments that make work very special to me.
Working in a high-powered position, and having a family life can mean not carving out much time for yourself. How do you choose to spend your “me time”?
After I had my first daughter, I was feeling pretty lost for a while, like something was missing, and this feeling continued for a few years. The sense of emptiness caused me to overthink in unhealthy ways; I knew I needed to add creativity back into my life.
Taking the first step and getting back into pottery at a local studio helped me fill this void. It has provided me the freedom to focus on something other than work and achieve something small — but important — outside of the office. I’ve also been getting back into reading and yoga as well, which has reminded me that being a mom and working are not the only things I’m good at.
What are your favorite children’s activities in New York?
Sometimes it's just going to a movie at our old-school movie theatre in Cobble Hill or checking out one of the pop-up museums such as the Color Factory or Museum of Ice Cream. At the very end of the Brooklyn Bridge Park there is a water park for the kids which they love and comes in handy during the hot NYC summers.
What are your favorite kid-friendly restaurants?
If you can get in, Lucali's is amazing, and my eldest child loves walking around and talking about how Beyonce loves going there; Dumbo House because they have a crafts room for the kids on the weekends; and Brooklyn Crab in Red Hook, because they have mini golf and games for the kids.
What values do you hope to instill in your children?
Over time, I've realized that being accepting of yourself - your faults as well as your strengths - is the most important thing. That moment you accept who you really are and work on becoming the best version of that is when you start to not only feel comfortable in your own skin, but also achieve way more than you ever thought you could. For my two girls, this is the most important thing to me because this is where confidence starts with and that determines your success in many things that go way beyond work.
Name your best kept NY secret
Last summer, we made it out to Pilot, a large wooden schooner docked at the northwest edge of Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, for food and drinks. We watched the sunset from a boat in New York — a rarity! — and I didn’t know it existed right in my backyard. It was beautiful.